The 2004 Insurance Broker Investigations: An Overview (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Nov. 5, 2004 |
| Report Number |
RS21966 |
| Report Type |
Report |
| Authors |
Baird Webel, Government and Finance Division |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
Summary:
civil suit for violations of various state laws against Marsh & McClennan Companies and Marsh, Inc.,1 the largest insurance broker in the United States. The principal allegations revolve around compensation arrangements between Marsh and several insurance companies, and bidding manipulation by Marsh to increase its profits from these compensation arrangements. Attorney General Spitzer also brought criminal charges against individuals involved and several guilty pleas have been announced. Since the initial suit, several other states have indicated interest in examining the conduct of insurers and brokers in their states and numerous individual and class action lawsuits have been filed. Market reaction to this was swift with Marsh & McClennans share price falling nearly 50% in a few days and other insurance companies and brokers also seeing significant declines. While the initial complaint has been brought under New York law, the situation may raise issues for Congress as well. One concerns the applicability of federal antitrust law. Among the laws used in the New York complaint was the state antitrust law (The Donnelly Act). Insurers, however, have enjoyed at least limited federal exemptions going back to a Supreme Court decision in 1868 and the McCarran-Ferguson Act of 1945. Another issue might be whether this situation sheds light on the overall efficacy of state regulation of insurance, which continues largely because Congress has specifically allowed it under McCarran-Ferguson. This report summarizes the events that have occurred and the issues they raise.
